Universal health coverage implies that all people receive the quality health services they need, without experiencing catastrophic health spending due to health care costs. Progress towards reaching Sustainable Development Goals Target 3.8 on universal health coverage is tracked using two separate metrics; specifically, SDG indicator 3.8.1 on the coverage of essential health services and SDG indicator 3.8.2 on catastrophic health spending.

SDG 3.8.1 coverage of essential health services is defined as the average coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access, among the general and the most disadvantaged population. The indicator is measured as an index reported on a unitless scale of 0 to 100, which is computed as the geometric mean of 14 tracer indicators of health service coverage. These indicators are meant to be indicative of service coverage and should not be interpreted as a complete or exhaustive list of the health services or interventions that are required to achieve universal health coverage.